HAN

HAN 
331 North Bridge Road
#01-04 Odeon Towers
Opens Mon-Sat (12-3 pm Lunch; 6-11 pm Dinner)
Call for reservations: 6336 2466
Japanese (Osaka cuisine)
$150 per pax
Heavenly service and food
**Two stars for Kushikatsu

   
     ZM and I actually ate at HAN in early August, but I delayed writing this entry because the restaurant experience was so heavenly I did not know how to do justice to it - I still don't!

   All I can do is tell you that this is my first two star entry and I created a Japanese label tag because I can no longer hide my clear preference for Japanese cuisine.

 

     It all started because I was longing to go to Japan, but I couldn't since I had agreed not to travel to Japan until I had given birth to our children (see how stern ZM is?). So, ZM and I agreed that we will slowly try the best of Japanese Cuisine that Singapore has to offer.

    The first stop is HAN.

      HAN is different from the ordinary japanese restaurant. It serves authentic Naniwa - old Osaka cuisine with hints of Korean and Chinese elements. It specialises in Kushikatsu - skewered treats that are dipped in batter and breadcrumbs and then deep-fried in oil. It is one of Osaka's  proud traditional dishes.

    I'm more of a sashimi type person in terms of Japanese Cuisine. I dislike tempura. Really dislike it. While, my mum loved tempura and disliked sashimi. It was with that in mind that I picked HAN. I don't know if it was a little (or a whole lot) of wishful thinking but I thought in some way we could both share this fried food experience.

   And, wow.

   It was one of those moments where you realised maybe you dislike fried japanese food - only because you never tried real fried japanese food before.

 

     ZM and I chose the Kushikatsu 10 sticks Omakase Course for dinner. They first served us a platter of seasonal appetizers. It was an almost saintly experience. The purity of the food cleanses your tongue and palate. 

   Pardon my fat thumb. I was probably too excited and I didn't even noticed it after I took the photograph. After the appetizers, they set up the sauces and the vegetables for the main course. I found all the vegetables heavenly (I cannot stop using this adjective). 

    

    You will inform them of your dietary preferences before it starts. They skewer everything - prawn, mackerel, squid, chicken, pork, tomato, foie gras, etc in all kinds of perfect combinations. It is a symphony of fried delicacy and I am kind of weeping that I am not eating this as I write. 

    

      After about 10-12 skewers, the symphony is complete. The chef who cooks in front of you, if you sit at the Kushikatsu counter, will ask if that is enough. And you will smile and kind of just give a fat cat contented sigh. 

   They will change your tea to a tea for dessert and serve dessert. Our choice was their special sesame ice-cream filled into wafer biscuits that was made by the kitchen as well. 

    

And at the end of it all, trapped halfway between bliss (of what it was) and sadness (that it has become was), you will know that you can never eat normal Japanese fried food again - without your brain calling you a fool and your heart running away and betraying you. 

Even you, I've ruined you.

 So, forget my words, one by one, forget about each skewer, the ascending taste, the crisp and light texture, the surprise in each ingredient, forget them all. 

Forget them my friend, for it is only in a dream that you taste perfection. 

Koh Grill & Sushi Bar - The Place to Eat Maki in Singapore

Koh Grill & Sushi Bar
#04-21 Wisma Atria Shopping Centre
Reservations: Call 91803805 (or use Chope)
Daily: 11.30 am to 10 pm (closes later on Fri & Sat)
Our meal (4 pax): $40 plus per pax
Average - $20-33 per pax
Japanese
Pretty bad service except the Maki is Heavenly
1* The Place to Eat Maki

     P was going to give us a treat with her first paycheck and she chose Koh Grill & Sushi Bar. It was the national day weekend and it looked as if the place was giving away free sushi from the likes of the queue. P told the waitress she made a reservation and the waitress scowled back, there is no reservation. P coolly showed the email confirming her reservation and the waitress paused for a moment then said, wait a moment. 

 A minute later, we were shown to an empty table. 

  The waitress stoically informed us that all sushi and sashimi orders will take half an hour to be served, then she went off to another busy table. 

   This is the japanese restaurant equivalent of the hawker store that sells such good food that it is going to be as nasty to you as it is humanely possible. Ok, I exaggerate. A little. 

  But, the maki really is heavenly and all the food was good: 

  

Not bad slightly sweet sake. 

Chicken Karage - I ordered it as it is one of my Mum's favourites. 

Puffer fish! This is actually really good.

And finally, the main highlights: 

      There was only one thing to be said at the end of the meal：

 娘，妹长大了！

The Rabbit Stash

The Rabbit Stash
354 Alexandra Road, #01-07
Reservations: Call 98588607 (10am-9 pm)
Lunch: 12 to 2.30 pm (Wed to Sun)
Dinner: 6.30 to 10.30 pm (Tues to Sun)
5 course Degustation Dinner - $90-100 pax (includes wine)
Ala-carte - at least $50 per pax
Asian Inspired European Cuisine
Extremely warm service & lovely food
1* Dual Shot (Dessert: Herbal gelee with manuka honey & avocado cream with blueberry coulis)

      When I heard about The Rabbit Stash, a quiet, unpretentious restaurant opened by a chef who had incredibly strong word of mouth from private dining, I immediately thought of M. M likes food almost exactly the way I do - we live in the moment when we eat wondrous food - just thinking of the food. And, it was just in time, because M and I have been trying to improve the frequency of our dinners - we used to meet every Friday before boyfriends (and alas, husbands) came along. 

     The food at The Rabbit Stash is honestly, very good. But, what makes me want to tell all my friends to go eat at The Rabbit Stash is how warm and lovely the people who work at the restaurant are. The serving staff didn't seem professional to me, not because they weren't good, but because they were so warm and sincere - I suspected that they were relatives of the owners of the restaurant. It's the kind of place where everyone wants to make this place special. And, somehow, by sheer force of will, it is. 

     The 5 course degustation Summer Dinner (for the mains, M had the ribeye while I had the snapper): 

Sea Scallop Ceviche 

San Marzano tomato, passion fruit, mozzarella, lime espuma

Ocean Prawn 

Nonya “Assam” puree, white asparagus, pineapple mousseline

Black Ribeye (145g)

Horseradish, sweet corn, black olive velvet, bacon, charlotte potato

Pan seared Snapper 

Truffle tangerine, field mushroom ragout, Japanese yam

Dual Shot 

Herbal gelee with manuka honey & avocado cream with blueberry coulis 

This is seriously heavenly. I really hate jelly desserts but I loved this. 

Chocolate Lava Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream

We switched the earl grey panna cotta for the chocolate lava cake on the ala carte menu. 

    At the end of the meal, Chef Matthew came to ask us about the food, and we both chorused that it was really good. And, then, Chef Matthew asked M if there was something wrong with the asparagus because she didn't eat it. I nearly died laughing as M tried to explain it wasn't because the asparagus wasn't good, but she simply didn't eat asparagus.

   Chef Matthew's wife, Donna, is in charge of the wine at the restaurant. She's an incredibly attractive and warm lady. I asked what was the inspiration behind the restaurant's name, and she shared that both Chef Matthew and her were born in the year of rabbits - which coincidentally, M and I were. She also shared that there was a baby rabbit (a baby born in the year of the rabbit) who came earlier in the day as well. So, I checked if babies were welcome at the restaurant and they are! Which is great, because M and I are always trying to find places where J can bring her toddler son 1 and baby son 2.

   I, sometimes, get melancholy when I think about babies. I always think back to the moment when Mum was really ill and she told me, it looks like ZM's mum will have to take care of the grandchildren. It bit me then, and it still bites. But, I know that my children, P's children, will know of her, feel her love, because P and I were only ever mothered one way, and that is the way we love.

   And, I write this here, because it's exactly how I felt when Donna shared why the restaurant is called The Rabbit Stash... because rabbits keep their most precious things away in the stash. Mothers, too, they stash their most precious things in their children.

     And this is why P is Pearl, and I am named Crystal. 

Kiraku Japanese Restaurant

Kiraku Japanese Restaurant
55 Market Street, Sinsov Building, #B1-01
Reservations: 64386428
Closed on Sundays and PH
Mon to Thurs & Sat: 11.30 am - 3 pm, 6-10.30 pm
Friday & Eve of PH: 11.30 am - 3 pm, 6-11 pm
Dinner - $60 per pax
Japanese
Pretty good sushi & extensive sashimi menu
Attentive Service

     ZM has been busier with work so I asked him to pick a dinner place near his workplace (Raffles Place area) for a simple dinner. He always picks Japanese (haha) because of me. ZM doesn't really like sushi or sashimi - so I always think it's rather a raw deal for him (pun intended).

   Kiraku is a relatively nice place to eat sushi - the ambience is quiet and elegant and you don't have the sushi tei crowd. The sushi is of a slightly higher level than Sushi Tei. I noticed that the wasabi is already put in the sushi, which led to a mouth of OMG after I dipped the sushi into my soy sauce with substantial wasabi. The tamago was light, fluffy and sweet - really good.

        I really recommend the Amaebi with Foie Gras - it's so good! Except it's $14 per piece.

         ZM had some udon thing which came in a huge ass bowl and saba fish. The saba fish had a nice texture but in my opinion, there were too many bones to make it enjoyable.

We also ordered the Kani Cream Croquette (snow crab) to share, but it was so incredibly creamy I couldn't taste the crab. 

   In all, this is really a sushi and sashimi place. There were 1 for 1 alcohol specials too and you could see a group of Japanese (always a sign of authenticity?) sitting outside on the tatami mat booths and kanpai-ing, which was kind of boisterous and cute. 

    I asked ZM if he would write some entries on my blog about our marriage. He refused. 

    "Ok. You miser. I'll help you write," I said. "So, from what you have experienced so far, what would be your first advice on marriage?" 

     "Choose the right wife." 

      "How do you choose the right wife?" I laughed. 

      "Gut feeling." 

       "That's very helpful. So what happens when you choose the wrong wife?" I asked.

       "Life sucks." 

SEA Aquarium (Part 4) - Ocean Restaurant by Cat Cora

Ocean Restaurant by Cat Cora

Resort World Sentosa - either enter through the SEA Aquarium or West Zone Car Park, B1M

For reservations: 65776688

Lunch - $80 per pax 

Western/Fusion

Gorgeous Ambience 

1* Swordfish Tartare 

      Eating at the Ocean Restaurant was a pure visual pleasure. We gasped at the enormous stingrays that roamed like Batman and pondered over the loneliness of fishes. The starters and mains were excellent, but you could skip the dessert if you don't want to order the set menu. 

     I love this place and would come back again. Now, swim on and enjoy the view. 

Starter: Swordfish Tartare (Sweet, Spicy and Heavenly)

Starter: Dad's Salmon Thing (He ate it so fast I have no idea what it tasted like.) 

Starter: Cauliflower Soup (Soothingly good) 

Mains: Kurobuta Pork Belly (Sinfully delicious) 

Mains: Lamb Ribs (Tender and Juicy)

Mains: Wagyu Beef (Ribs if I remembered correctly. I can't eat Beef. P: It's crispy on the top and melts in your mouth at the bottom. Damn.) 

Dessert: Chocolate Surprise (Forgettable) 

Dessert: Chocolate Brownie (Tasted like a christmas cake. This is not meant to be flattering.) 

Note the resemblance: 

Because he was so happy: